Lead Like Jesus: Principal 2. Empowerment
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Jesus teaching
Jesus taught his disciples and followers by sharing truth through stories that were easy to remember and to share with others. In this way, His message became a lot more mobile and easy to spread to the nations. But Jesus didn’t just lead through teaching He led through example. He demonstrated the Kingdom of God through his miracles. He demonstrated to His followers how to be led and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:38 NKJV how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
A good leader gets right in the dirt and does the work.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader - ”
A good leader doesn’t just command but sets the bar and shows the example. Most people learn by seeing someone else do the work first and not just hearing or reading about how to do the work.
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature…”-Hebrews 1:3 BSB. “He is the image of the invisible God…”-Colossians 1:15
Jesus perfectly modeled the will, power, and majesty of the Father and in turn, He has commanded, demonstrated, and became the example of how to display God’s love, power, and glory here on the earth. Jesus then empowered His disciples those of His inner circle and, the seventy-two those in his outer circle, to preach and to do miracles.
Mark 6:7–13 ESV And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.[a] 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Understand that leaders don’t seek the reward of greatness for themselves but they empower others to build and carry out the work. Too many great churches and ministries have failed and faltered due to not raising someone anointed to carry on the work.
Jesus knew that while He was on the earth He was confined to an earthly body and therefore could not be everywhere at once. He needed to multiply His ministry by empowering His disciples and followers. The result is that today billions of people across the globe are following The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
As a John Maxwell certified speaker, I see this process happening through the John Maxwell organization. Mr. Maxwell has been a preacher, author, and leadership speaker for decades however the most prominent change he has made to carry out his work and legacy is empowering others to carry out his teachings, values, and His name. It’s been proven time and again that if people take ownership of a “work” it will go further, longer, and garner more success.
Jesus has given us His, teachings, values, and name to carry out the work of the Kingdom of God. The greatest empowerment of all is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t hold anything back. He gave us everything we need to succeed and to represent Him and His Kingdom in all the earth.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Leading well is not about enriching yourself - it's about empowering others-John C. Maxwell